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From: gillies@uiucdcsp.cs.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Worries about Macintosh
Message-ID: <76000018@uiucdcsp>
Date: Sat, 12-Sep-87 23:23:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: uiucdcsp.76000018
Posted: Sat Sep 12 23:23:00 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 13-Sep-87 21:42:54 EDT
Lines: 31
Nf-ID: #N:uiucdcsp:76000018:000:1450
Nf-From: uiucdcsp.cs.uiuc.edu!gillies    Sep 12 22:23:00 1987


I fell in love with the Mac and want to purchase one soon.  Our local
dealer said Apple will have a sale (approx 10% off) october 1-3, and
this will apply to university discounts.

However, three things really bother me:

(1) Using MacDraw and MacWrite, I was really frustrated by the small
screen.  This makes me apprehensive about buying a Mac +/SE, especially
since my mother may use it, and her eyesight is fading -- not good if
you must frequently use "reduce screen" to see what you're doing.  All
3rd-party displays base at $1500.  I don't want to spend much more
than $3000 total.

(2) I understand the worth of the Macintosh O/S, but I am worried
about Apple's "closed system" approach arrogance.  There are no clone
makers to drive down prices and keep Apple honest.  Example: The SE is
configured to force people to buy hard disks from Apple (why can't I
buy an SE with one disk and buy a third-party HD?  I must waste $$$ on
a 2-disk system).

(3) For many of the things I want to do, I don't think I can beat the
price/performance of a taiwan AT.  < $2500 for an EGA color, 20Mb HD,
Modem, Mouse, MS-Word system, with processor performance between a Mac
SE and a Mac II.

I'd appreciate it if someone could address these concerns, since I
really want a Mac, but cannot buy one in good conscience right now.
Do other people see these things as problems?  What are the solutions?

Don Gillies {ihnp4!uiucdcs!gillies} University of Illinois